Wear plate for railway truck journal boxes



Jan. 5, 1937. H. H. WOLFE ET A1. 2,066,441

WEAR PLATE FOR RAILWAY TRUCK JOURNAL BOXES 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Oct. 2,1935 Tl II M w N v u P w MW Jan. 5, 1937. H. H. WOLFE ET AL W EAR PLATEFOR RAILWAY TRUCK JOURNAL BOXES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2, 1935Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEAR PLATE FOR RAILWAYTRUCK JOURNAL BOXES Application October 2, 1933, Serial No. 691,888

12 Claims. (01. 308-40) This invention relates to improvements in wearplates for railway truck journal boxes.

In making side frames for railway trucks from the lighter weight andsofter metals such as aluminum, it is necessary to protect certainsurfaces from wear, and one location on the frame needing thisprotection is the top of the journal box, for it is here that the framebears on the axle journal wedge. The lugs on the sides of the journalbox which retain the axle in position through the medium of the journalwedge and brass, also need protection from wear. The frame slides ashort distance on the journal wedge when the truck is in motion, due totransverse forces acting on the frame. The frame and journal wedge makea line contact due to the top of the wedge being slightly rounded, andthis causes a load concentration which is undesirable for the softermetals.

An object of this invention is to provide a plate of metal for the topof the journal opening which is harder than the metal of the journalbox.

Another object is to protect the surfaces of the journal box which comein contact with the wedge and brass, against wear by means of a noveland easily inserted wear plate.

Another object is to provide a wear plate for a railway journal box thatstays in position when the box is taken off the journal, but which isalso easily removed from the journal box.

A further object is to provide a wear plate for a journal box ofsufficient flexibility so that it may be sprung in place and alsoremoved in the same manner.

A still further object is to supply a one-piece hard metal wear platewhich when inserted into the journal box will automatically interlockwith the box and function from that time to not only take up wear on thetop of the journal box, but also on the lugs at the sides of the journalbox.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in viewwhichwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated iritheaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion'of a railway side frame journalbox equipped with one form of our improved wear plate.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are, respectively, a front elevation, top plan and sideview of this form of wear plate.

Figs. '7 to 12 inclusive are similar to Figs. 1 to 6, but illustrateanother embodiment of the invention.

In both embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that we haveillustrated only onequarter of a journal box, as this will be sumcientfor the purpose of disclosing the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, I is the journal box which may bemade integral with the frame or separate therefrom. 2 is a lug on theside of the journal box for retaining the wedge and brass and spacingthe axle. The journal box has the usual back and front openings 3 and 4,for receiving the journal and packing the journal respectively. Theseopenings are also used for applying and removing the wear plate. The lug2 has a small extension 5 for keeping the wear plate in place. Theapplied wear plate is indicated by 6 and the top portion fits into arecess ID in the top of the journal box.

The wear plate 6 is shown on the right hand side of the drawings andconsists of a top portion 1, side portions 8. The side portion 8 is cutand bent outwardly as at 9.

The wear plate is applied through the front or rear opening of thejournal box and raised into place. When the bent portion 9 passes theextension 5 on the lug 2, it springs back and the lower part of theportion 9 engages the top of the extension 5 and is retained in place.The wear plate can be removed by springing the bent portion 9 beyond theextension 5' and lowering the plate.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 to 12inclusive, we have illustrated a wear plate which does not require arecess in the top of the journal box, and is held in place by a shallowrecess in the side lugs of the box. On

'these drawings, la is the journal box and 2a the side lugs in which theshallow recess referred. to above is indicated by H. 12 is the wearplate which is shown applied, in dot and dash lines, and also in detailin Figs. 10, 11 and 12.

The wear plate I2 consists of a top portion l3 and side portions l4. Onthe side portions there is an outwardly extending lip I5 which protectsthe front end of the lug 2a from the wear of the brass lug (not shown).The lip l5 and the outside end of the top portion l3 also act to retainthe wear plate in position, the former by its engagement with the lug 2aand the latter by its engagement with the downwardly extending wedgestop lugs 3a of the journal box.

The top portion l3 of the wear plate is cut broadly, we have devisedwear plates of hard-- metal for protecting a journal box ofsofter metalagainst the wear of the journal box wedge and Consequently, in case of aheated bearings. journal or hot-box, thewear plate will aid indissipating the heat and thusprotect the-softer metal, which in somecases has a relatively low melting point, from extreme heat andpossible;

melting.

While we have disclosed what we now "consider to be preferredembodiments of the invention in such manner that the same may be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the'art, we are aware thatchanges may bemade in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention, as expressed in the claims. 7

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent; is: t t

1. The combination with a journal box formed of relatively soft-metal,-, of a hard metal wear plate in the box for protecting thelatter against the wear of the journal box wedge, said wear platebeingformed of resilient metal and held in the journal box by theresiliency of the wear plate.

2. The combination with a journal box formed of relatively soft metal,of a hard metal wear plate in the box for protectingthe latter againstthe wear'of the journal box wedge, saidwear plate having a flat portionarranged at the top of the journal box andprovidedwith depending legsengaging the internal lugs of the journal box, each leg being formed ofresilient metal and having atongue adapted due to the resiliencyofthe-legs, to interlock with the, inner surface of the journal box.

3. ,The combinationwith a journal box formed of relatively soft'metal,of ahard resilient metal wear. plate in the box for protecting thelatter againstthe wear of the" journal box wedge, said wear plateconsisting of a flat top and depending legs, "each leg being cutinwardly from one side edge thereof toprovide a tongue to interlock witha portion of the journal box due to the resiliency of the plate. t

4. The combination with a journal box formed of relatively soft metal,of a hard metal wear plate in the box for protecting the latter. againstthe wear of the journal box wedge, the inner surface of the top ofthejournal box being recessed and the wear plate having a portionseating in said recess and other portions resiliently interlockedwiththe interior of the journal box. 5. The combination with a journalbox provided with internal side lugs, of a resilient wear platepositioned within the box and having a top portion engaging the innersurface of the top of the box, and legs interlocked with said side"lugs, said wear plate being held in the journal box by the resiliency ofthe metal of the plate.

6. The combination. with a journal box provided with internal side lugs,of a resilient Wear plate positioned within the box and having a topportion engaging the inner surface of the top of the box, and legsinterlocked with said side lugs, each leg having a resilienttongueengaging an inner surface of "thebox, said wear plate being held in thejournal box by the resiliency of the metal of the plate.

'7. The combination with a journal box provided with internal side lugs,of a wear resilient plate positioned within the 'box and having a topportion engaging'the inner surface of the top ofthe box, and legsinterlocked with said sidelugs, the top of the wear plate having a re-,silient. tongue engaging a surface of the top of the journal box toprevent axial shifting of the wear plate, said wear plate being held inthe journal boxgbythe resiliency'of the metal of the plate. i

8. A wear plate for journal boxes formed of hard resilient metalandhaving a top portion to engage the inner surface of the'top of I thejournal box, and depending legs;to engage the internal side lugs of,aLJ'ournal box, each leg having a struck out tongue to resilientlyinterlock with a surface of the journal box. I

9. A wearplate for journal boxes formed of hard resilient metal andhaving a top portion to engage the inner surfaces of the top of thejournal box, and depending legs to engage the internal side lugs of thejournal box, each leg having a struck out tongue. to resiliently inter.-lock with a surface of the journal box, each leg being L-shaped inhorizontal section.

10. A wear plate for journal boxes formed of hard resilient metal andhaving a top portion to engage the inner surface of-the topof thejournal box, and depending legs to engage the internal side lugs of thejournal box, each leg having a struck out tongueto resilientlyinterlockwith a surface of the journalbox, the top of the plate alsohaving a struck out tongue to interlock with the inner surfaces of thetop of the journal box.

11. The combination with a journal box formed of relatively soft metal,of a resilient hard metal wear plate in the 'box for, protecting the,latter against the wear of. the journal box wedge,,said wear plate beinglocally deformed to provide pro jecting edges for engagement withportions of the journal box for retaining'the cover plate in place dueto. the resiliency of said plate.

12. The combination. with a journal box formed of relatively soft metal,of a resilient hard metal wear plate in the box for protecting thelatter against the wear of the journal box wedge, said I a HARRYH.WOLFE." JOHN s. MCPHERSON.

